S03.E08: Journalism

[formerlyfreedom]

Thomas Nast's political cartoons help take down Tammany Hall's "Boss Tweed" in the 1870s; journalist Nelly Bly and Elizabeth Bisland race each other around the world in 1889.

 

Featuring: Jason Alexander as William "Boss" Tweed and Noah Wyle as Thomas Nast in "Tammany Hall Takedown"; Michael Cera as Morris Cohen and Haley Joel Osment as Kid Blink in "The Newsboy Strike of 1899"; and Ellie Kemper as Nellie Bly and Natasha Leggero as Elizabeth Bisland in "Race Around the World"

 

Retellers: Jen Kirkland on "Boss Tweed and Thomas Nast", Drew Droege on the "Newsboy Strike", and Cameron Esposito on "Race Around the World".

[HelenBaby]

OMG I did not recognize HJO.

ETA: I like all the stories but Michael Cera & Noah Wyle were the MVP's. I've never seen the movie Newsies so I looked it up on IMDB afterward to see who played Cera's & Osment's parts in the film. Cohen wasn't listed as a character. I'm assuming Christian Bale played that guy. But I was floored that Trey Parker played Kid Blink. LOL.

Edited October 21, 2015 by HelenBaby

[Irlandesa]

Kind of a star-ish studded episode tonight with some non-regulars.  I enjoyed all the stories. 

 

I did recognize HJO eventually.  But I think he has been in one of these before, right? (I guess not according to IMDb.)

[BusyOctober]

As much as I like Jason Alexander and Ellie Kemper in other things, I thought both of them tried too hard.  They seemed like they were over-emoting and going for very broad delivery.  I know this show is supposed to be silly and drunk people are sloppily narrating, but some of the other guest actors do a better job.  Colin Hanks, Michael Ciera,  Tony Hale, Paget Brewster and others deliver their lines with just the right amount of smarmy seriousness and irony.  Watching JA & EK in this week's show made me feel like I was watching an old silent movie with the over the top, physical pantomine gesturing.  Still liked it overall, but just noticing some actors hit the mark better than others.

[teddysmom]

I about fell off the couch when I saw David Simon sitting there with Derek.   Man way to bring in the BMOC from B More.

Edited October 21, 2015 by teddysmom

[IndianPaintbrush]

I enjoyed Jason Alexander's over-emoting.  It was appropriate for someone like Boss Tweed, and he needed to compensate for the narrator's rather monotone delivery.

 

I giggled at Boss Tweed and Nast talking to each other on cell phones.

 

Overall a "meh" episode for me.

[teddysmom]

Overall a "meh" episode for me.

 

I don't know if it's the stories not being that exciting, but this season has felt "meh". 

 

Maybe the novelty of the show is wearing off.

 

I was wondering about the cell phones too. 

[Amethyst]

Kind of a star-ish studded episode tonight with some non-regulars.  I enjoyed all the stories. 

 

I actually think there have been fewer guest stars this season.  I noticed the end credits have been ending faster because there are aren't as many stars in the episode.  Last night felt more like a s1/s2 episode.

 

As for Jason Alexander, there was a scene when he mimed like he was shouting, but Kirkman was narrating really quietly, lol.  Maybe that was the point?

 

The cell phones cracked me up.  80s style flip phones, no less.

I haven't been crazy about this season, but I enjoyed this one.  I know she's a favorite, but I don't care for Kirkman's style of storytelling.  She's usually too wasted to get the words out, and I can barely make out what she's saying.  The comedians usually put their own spin on the story anyway, and imo, you don't need to be fall down drunk to be funny.  

 

I thought all the guest stars were great.  Noah Wyle should definitely come back again.  And HJO as a fat cat was hilarious.

[peeayebee]

I about fell off the couch when I saw David Simon sitting there with Derek.   Man way to bring in the BMOC from B More.

I had seen a tweet from Simon about this, and I thought that he was going to be a narrator. Please make it happen, though I get the feeling he'd have to drink A.LOT.

 

I don't know if it's the stories not being that exciting, but this season has felt "meh". 

 

Maybe the novelty of the show is wearing off.

 

This has been the first ep this season that I felt wasn't meh. Still, the show doesn't seem as hilarious as in previous seasons.

 

I liked all the actors. My favorite might have been Noah Wyle. It took me a minute to recognize him. (I recognized Osment right away.)

 

I loved when Jen Kirkman's sneezes were incorporated into the reenactment. 

 

I also loved when Hearst and the other guy (Pulitzer? I can't remember) got up from their desks in the split-screen shot and ran into each other.

[Rinaldo]

Some of this season's episodes haven't grabbed me, but I still think that the recent "New Orleans" is one of their best ever, and very consistent in high quality.

[biakbiak]

I initially thought Noah Wylie was Scott Auckerman.

[ganesh]

I thought NW was good. JA as Boss Tweed was good casting, but I didn't think he did well with the dialogue. I like Kirkman, but she was a sheet to the wind too much. 

 

I had no idea about the women going across the world in 80 days. I was riveted. Natasha Leggero always brings it. I loved her hat. 

 

I was overall meh on the newsies part, but I never thought Cera was that good in anything outside of Arrested Development. But it was worth it to learn there was an actual living person named Kid Blink.